Stuff could always be worse

MSAA Published A Nice Article Which Includes ME

2021-05-09T09:27:00.000-04:00

I seem to blog when I want to brag 😁.

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America wrote the following article

I am doing pretty good as I start to get out more since I was vaccinated.

Paintings bring me joy along with God, my family, 3 grands, and my cane corso Daisy.

...

Happy Mother’s Day, I will have a fun day since I am eating lunch with my kids!

My Thankful Painting

2020-11-26T08:41:00.001-05:00

I wanted to paint our front doors a new color before Winter arrived since they were solid white, for almost twenty years.

It was more difficult than artistic painting for sure!

I used my power chair as I would stand up to paint some then sorta fall back into my chair. Hubs did finish up the very top for me.

I am very Thankful I could do this painting!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I Am The Featured MS Association Artist

2020-09-05T09:15:00.001-04:00

2020 MSAA Art Showcase Artist of the Month

Kim Standard – Douglasville, GA

I was diagnosed officially in 1982. I was 19 when an eye doctor said it was likely MS, but it went away for a few years.I married and had 2 wonderful children when the doctors weren’t sure I should. I don’t know how I raised them, one day at a time I guess.

I started painting again after 39 years, my right hand is damaged by MS and many other parts. I use a power chair mostly so I didn’t think I could paint anymore since high school. I started taking classes at our Douglasville Senior Center. I am ambidextrous now, my left hand paints 75% of these acrylic paintings. Don’t give up, you never know what the future holds….

View the Complete 2020 MSAA Art Showcase – Send an eCard featuring this artist’s work

Family Time Sunset

Here is the Link: https://mymsaa.org/artshowcase2020/

My Mastiff is such a Big Baby

2020-06-02T10:42:00.001-04:00

Daisy Mae

My puppy is 6 months old. She doesn’t sit in my lap much because of me being squished?

She’s a sweetie....

I am still quarantined mostly, going to Atlanta this week to get my pain (baclofen) pump refilled.

My quarantined painting 12x12” below:

Here is my puppy at 9 months old, 120 pounds. She has outgrown her harness lol

My 60th Birthday Quarantined

2020-03-25T14:13:00.000-04:00

Hubs brought supper home after he got off work! I was so happy....yum.

I blog every year, how happy I am to get a year older since back in the day, life with MS didn’t have too bright a future?

Since Covid-19 virus invaded, I have chosen to be self quarantined for now.....

My lovely daughter surprised me by getting all 4 of my sisters to video chat with me! It was a fun video party! I was in girl heaven but my hubs didn’t see it that way!

My tip to end with.....I personally find music is better for me than tv!

Today is our 35th Wedding Anniversary

2020-02-16T15:54:00.003-05:00

Rex and I in 1985

Rex and I about 2005
(One of my favorite photos)

I celebrate each year we make it! We have held each other up throughout the years but Rex obviously has more in physical ways.....

I blog about our anniversary every year.....and I thank my blogland friends for indulging me!

My Cane Corso Puppy

2020-02-05T14:22:00.000-05:00

Daisy Mae and Donny

We got a new Cane Corso puppy! she is 11 weeks old.

Since Donny is 11 years old, I was hoping he could pass on some of his great traits.....So we got a girl 11 weeks old and named her Daisy Mae.

I Love mastiff’s since they are smart, lazy and very protective. Remember Donny killed a moccasin snake that was coming towards me. When it was 2 feet from me Donny bent down and suddenly the snake was bit in half!

Daisy Mae is Very active but sweet as can be!

Multiple Sclerosis Research Opportunity

2020-01-14T11:58:00.001-05:00

My latest acrylic tiny painting

This research opportunity sounds interesting, with a good compensation.....

We are currently looking to talk to people who are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to talk about their experiences. All information remains confidential and no sales are involved!

Dates: Wednesday January 21 – Wednesday January 29

Times: Day and Evening times are available

Length: 90 minutes

Incentive: $175

Location: Via computer/phone

If you are interested, please copy and paste this link into your browser and complete the preliminary questions. We will be following up within 48 hours of receipt.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TG5TGHJ

If you prefer you may email or call Sue at the contact information below. Thank you in advance for your help and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sue LaGrippe: sue@lagripperesearch.com

847-533-9509

www.lagripperesearch.com

My Merry Christmas Painting

2019-12-24T09:19:00.000-05:00

I painted this 11x14” acrylic for my sister Jill.

Merry Christmas to all my blog friends!

Georgia Artist With Disability Winner

2019-10-01T13:28:00.000-04:00

This is me in my
booth with the 3 acrylic paintings I entered

I was very surprised to win the Chairman’s Award! And my family was also.....

We had began to think I hadn’t won anything as it was getting toward the end of the ceremony. My sister Karen was texting my other sisters saying that it was nearing the end with no award for me. One of the few awards left was the Chairman’s award and it was left blank in the brochure. Glen said maybe she won that??

Karen texted, sorry Kim, but I don’t think she won the Chairman’s award.

About that time they called my name for the very last award at the end of the ceremony, the Chairman’s Award. I drove my chair up there to receive my award as seen below

Receiving my award

The Pilots Club of Metropolitan Atlanta started a wonderful program!

Georgia Artists With Disability Show Includes Me

2019-08-30T15:17:00.001-04:00

I am entering the above painting in the Georgia Artist with Disabilities art show. It is on September 21, 2019 in Atlanta at the Georgia Power building.

This painting will be my second entry..... hoping to place in top 10 but who knows?

Happy Labor Day weekend

Multiple Sclerosis Compensated Study

2019-08-27T08:54:00.001-04:00

Sharing MS Info....

LaGrippe Research is inviting individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis to participate in a 90-minute focus group to discuss several topics related to MS to put towards research. Those that qualify and participate will be compensated $200 as a thank you.

We will be hosting these groups in three different cities:

Cleveland, OH – Monday September 16^th
Atlanta, GA – Monday September 30^thI
San Francisco, CA – Wednesday October 2^nd

If you are interested, please fill out our preliminary questions online here: https://ywww.surveymonkey.com/r/TC8WG7G

If you have any questions, please contact our Project Manager Maggie at 847-373-4104 or email Maggie@lagripperesearch.com

Georgia Artist with Disability Art Show Includes ME

2019-08-09T19:29:00.000-04:00

I am excited to participate in the Georgia Artists with Disabilities Art Show on September 21st at the Georgia Power Building in Atlanta.

I will write my Biography here that I need to do.....to enter my 3 paintings, and hopefully sell them also.

I realized I could paint while in high school. But afterwards, at 19 I was struck by Multiple Sclerosis. I still worked, had a great life except MS had to be dealt with like I started using a wheelchair etc. I fought to live a normal life despite MS for decades, getting married 34 years ago. I had 2 children back in the day they were not sure I should. I am thankful I took that risk. Fast forward

I wanted to get out more last year so my aunt Sue and I started taking an acrylic painting class at our Douglasville Senior Center. I found out I could still paint. It is exhausting so after an hour or two of painting I need to lay down to rest. My right hand was damaged by MS decades ago, so I can paint ambidextrously now! I cannot use an easel since my arms are too weak. I paint on my table while sitting in a wheelchair til the fatigue and pain gets too bad.

I am surprised by the tiny lines and details I can paint, it’s just miraculous. After having MS 40 years I could have never dreamed that I would become an artist!

So don’t give up.

My First Commissioned Painting

2019-07-05T16:00:00.001-04:00

My sister Renita commissioned me to do a painting from a photo she had taken of her husband and her kids at a lake. The painting was a great Fathers Day gift for her husband Shane....

I stay busy with this life of painting! And love it.

What are yall doing with your blogs? Since I have slowed my blogging down......

my cat playing in pollen

2019-04-11T08:57:00.001-04:00

As you can see my little cat..... appropriately named Bandit......

has been rolling around my front porch!

I love the Springtime so I gladly deal with the pollen.

My Latest Painting and Etsy Shop

2019-03-27T10:05:00.000-04:00

My Etsy Shop KimpaintingdespiteMS

I painted this acrylic painting of the road I grew up on again..... My sister Karen, wanted a painting like I had painted for our sister Renita....so I tried to make the same road be different such as painting it in the Fall colors.

I also opened an Etsy Shop to sell prints, and a few original acrylic paintings. My aunt Sue will sell her contemporary paintings in my shop eventually.

We began this hobby a year ago as I have blogged about it several times.

We certainly enjoy this hobby! I am wading into the Etsy world as KimpaintingdespiteMS ....just to see how it goes.

Enjoy ......

My First Art Show

2019-02-24T14:49:00.001-05:00

I was happy to participate in our local Senior Center’s Art Show yesterday!

It was fun hanging out with friends, looking at their art displays, chatting.......then I Sold the above framed painting!

I was excited that a stranger would like one of my paintings enough to pay money for one.....maybe it’s the beginning of something?

Thank you Mr Ken for being patient with me! I say I am the difficult student in our class.....smiles.

Our 34th Wedding Anniversary

2019-02-16T11:38:00.001-05:00

Me and hubs

We were so young! As I look back on our life together.

His mom, Edeltraut and I drove up to New York to visit him while he was stationed in Saratoga Springs NY in the early 1980s....

We have had a lifetime of fun memories together like this one...... so unbelievably blessed.

Enjoy life!

My Year of 6 Paintings Despite MS

2019-01-17T11:07:00.001-05:00

I painted this canvas of my uncle Carson's barn, for my son's Christmas gift....

Thankfully I can paint with both hands now, since my right hand was damaged by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) decades ago.

I painted this for my granddaughters nursery

my daughter chose a picture of her cat Tristan for me to paint.,
animals are a challenge....learning

My sister Teresa’s view.
Her son took this photo, then I painted it.

My lake view in 2010......I love looking at it.

My first painting in class, a year ago.

It is the road I grew up on.

I have had a blast at our local Senior Center learning to paint better.....

with my aunt Sue.

I do spend many, many hours painting.......therefore I blog less but it is a fun achievement!

Do you have a favorite of these 6?

My Grandson is 5 Years Old

2018-11-28T14:02:00.000-05:00

Can you believe my grandson is 5 already? I so enjoy the kind intelligent young man he is....As he pointed a water bottle at me....

We loved his visit for the Thanksgiving last week.

His aunt Leah bought him a T-ball set.

My son took me to see my doctor in Atlanta

Parker and Gracie

We also got to celebrate his 5th birthday a few times. I took him at our local bouncy house with his cousin’s Nate and Gracie.

He liked driving this robot

I cannot express the joy of being a grandparent! And I happily look forward to having a granddaughter by the end of the year!!! What a gift! ❤️

My Cognitive Woes

2018-10-29T15:58:00.001-04:00

My sister Jill's photography
Feeling Foggy

I cannot believe how forgetful I am getting! When I worry about my brain lapses to others, they say they have the same problems.

Is it an age thing?? Or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) related??

I have recovered really great from my baclofen pump surgery so that’s not the culprit

I will keep playing my Word games, taking krill oil and just keep living my wonderful life that I truly have! And be thankful for that.....

My New Baclofen Pump

2018-10-12T15:23:00.001-04:00

I had my baclofen pump, as seen in net image above, replaced this week. The battery expires every seven years. It helps my leg spasms tremendously so I needed it done..

This surgery was more simple than the original one since there was no need to replace the tubing that connects to my spine. My neurosurgeon did a 2 inch incision to replace the pump only....

Please say a prayer for my continued healing from an incision .....here’s to another seven years with an updated pump!

Ice Helps Calm Spasms

2018-09-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

I have been dealing with leg spasms forever it seems.. The baclofen pump I have helps me tremendously .....until I get hot.

Spascitisty is very painful but when I cool off they go away??. I dress as cool as I can. I turn the air down til I freeze hubs to death!

I was surprised but happy that an ice necklace helps my leg cramps. I feel I can breathe again when I cool down!

I cannot believe it’s September and I am sharing tips to survive the heat!

My Painting Despite MS Damage

2018-08-31T12:59:00.000-04:00

I painted the above picture during my acrylic class at our local Senior Citizen Center.

I am right proud of it! I didn't think I could paint anymore since high school. I have aged and with MS damage (feels like I have a glove on) in my right hand.

My instructor said I should take it to our local courthouse since they were showing art by local artists in August.

my aunt Sue and friend Marilyn looking at my painting.
It was displayed very nicely in the courthouse

I encourage others to try something you didn't think you could do anymore.....

My Daughter Has Improved

2018-08-20T12:01:00.001-04:00

Leah had the procedure done to repair her spontaneous spinal fluid leak, almost a week ago.

The doctor was optimistic that her blood that they placed in her spine will do the repair as a blood patch.

She has shown me how much we need “normal “ .

Thank you for your prayers.....it can require more procedures so please keep her in your prayers!